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Arrive at Shannon airport, welcome, coach transfer to Killarney and check in to hotel

Arrive To: Arrive at Shannon airport and transfer to Killarney by private coach. Southwest county Kerry is home to 14 of Ireland’s highest mountains and some of the last primeval oak and yew forests in Europe. The charming town of Killarney sits nestled beneath these majestic peaks and among its internationally famous lakes.

Day Three: Saturday, October 04 - Excursion around the Iveragh Penninsula. 'The Rin...

Excursion around the Iveragh Penninsula. 'The Ring of Kerry' is made up of spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, enveloping the charming towns of Glenbeigh, Caherciveen, Waterville and Sneem.

Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast is served in the hotel dining room

Morning: Enjoy a walk on the sandy beach of Rossbeigh which extends into the estuary like a finger, forming a natural barrier to the powers of the Atlantic Ocean and provides a safe haven for all kinds of marine life and seabirds. It is a designated natural heritage area and a Special Area of Conservation.

Day Four: Sunday, October 05 - Day Trip to the Dingle Pennisula and dinner with ...

Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast is served in the hotel dining room

Morning: Field Trip to the Dingle Peninsula exploring this area’s rich archaeological heritage and unique culture. Once cited as ‘the most beautiful place on earth’ by the National Geographic, much of the peninsula is a Gaeltacht, an area where the Irish language is widely spoken in home, workplace & school.

Lunch: Lunch on your own in the colourful fishing port of Dingle town, the area’s main hub, well known for its eateries and traditional pubs.

Afternoon: Field trip continues.

Dinner: Dinner as guests of local families in a nearby town. Learn about the rhythm of daily Irish life while chatting with your hosts and sampling home cooked cuisine.

Morning: Walk to Killarney National Park home to magnificent native oak woods and one of the oldest yew woods in Europe. Enjoy an expert - led gentle hike in the Park. Look out for a glimpse of the native Irish red deer along the way.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, conference centre, on site fitness centre with gym, jacuzzi steamroom and spa with beauty treatments available

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Six: Tuesday, October 07 - The world famous Cliffs of Moher

Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast is served in the hotel dining room

Morning: Depart by private motor coach for a leisurely journey to Galway.

Lunch: Lunch will be in a coastal village of Co Clare where you will be free to explore local fare

Afternoon: Join a local expert at the world famous Cliffs of Moher. There will be time to linger by the cliffs which rise like a cathedral in to the sky some 700 feet over the wild Atlantic ocean. The views stretch as far as Galway Bay and the Aran Islands and the location is also home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland. Back on the coach our local expert will lead us through the Burren. one of the largest karst limestone landscapes in Europe and we will stop for a short hike on the moon like terrain

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, conference centre, on site fitness centre with gym, jacuzzi steamroom and spa with beauty treatments available

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Seven: Wednesday, October 08 - Expert-led walk of Galway with local historian an...

Expert-led walk of Galway with local historian and writer and evening at the magnificent eighteenth century Glenlo Abbey.

Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast will be served in the hotel dining room

Morning: Visit a local primary (elementary) school. Sit in the classroom amongst the local school children, answer their questions whilst learning about school life in Ireland. The children will then put on a short display of traditional Irish music and singing especially for their new friends! Followed by an expert - led walk of Galway with local historian and writer.
Learn why Galway is nicknamed the “City of the Tribes.” Explore Galway Cathedral, the Spanish Arch, and part of the original city wall.
Walk through Eyre Square and down the cobble stones of Quay Street to the tiny fishing enclave of The Claddagh, immortalised in the song "Galway Bay", and internationalised through its traditional jewelry, the Claddagh Ring, a symbol of love, friendship, commitment and loyalty.

Lunch: Lunch is free for you to sample local fare in one of Galway’s many restaurants, cafes and traditional Irish pubs.

Afternoon: Free to explore Galway city independently

Dinner: Be welcomed by your host, a Galway academic and expert in the field of Anglo-Irish literature, before being led in to dine exclusively in the private Abbey. The Abbey dates back to 1740, and was part of the ancestral home of two of the fourteen 'Tribes of Galway', the famed merchant families who dominated the economic and social life of the city at that time. A sumptuous candle - lit dinner will be served while you enjoy conversation on the topic: “The Irish Big House” and “Galway’s Literary Tradition.”

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, conference centre, on site fitness centre with gym, jacuzzi steamroom and spa with beauty treatments available

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Eight: Thursday, October 09 - Boat trip to Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Is...

Boat trip to Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands. Perched in the Atlantic ocean at the entrance to Galway Bay, the Aran Islands are one of the last outcrops of authentic Gaelic civilization.

Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast is served at the hotel.

Morning: Spend a full day on Inis Mor, the largest of the Islands of Aran, to explore this last remnant of authentic Gaelic civilization, where Christian ruins stand side by side with remarkable Pagan relics. Walk the short distance to the pretty village of Kilronan. From here, explore the island independently on foot, by bicycle, mini van or traditional horse - drawn jaunty car.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare on the island.

Afternoon: Explore the island independently; by foot, by bicycle, or by traditional horse drawn jaunty cars.

Transfer to Killybegs via Sligo and Drumcliffe, the final resting place of the famed Irish poet W. B. Yeats’, under the majestic mountain of Ben Bulben.

Breakfast: Full Irish breakfast served at hotel

Morning: Depart by private motor coach for Killybegs, County Donegal. Undoubtedly one of Ireland's most untouched and ruggedly beautiful counties, County Donegal's striking landscape has remained relatively unaffected by the passage of time. The Donegal people, too are renowned for their warmth and hospitality.

Lunch: Free time in Sligo town to explore local fare for lunch

Afternoon: En route from Sligo to Killybegs, make a stop at Drumcliffe, the final resting place of the famed Irish poet W. B. Yeats’, under the majestic mountain of Ben Bulben. The epitaph on his gravestone is well known: "Cast a cold eye / On life / on death / Horseman, pass by!"

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Ten: Saturday, October 11 - Learn about life in Killybegs, home to Ireland's ...

Learn about life in Killybegs, home to Ireland's largest fishing fleet, while walking on the pier. Enjoy dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Visit Glencolmcille, an area of outstanding beauty.

Breakfast: Full Irish breakfast is served at the hotel

Morning: Spend the morning with a local journalist and community worker. On foot, explore this pretty town - home to the largest fishing fleet in Ireland. Take a walk on the pier to admire the fleet.

Lunch: Excluded

Afternoon: Field trip to Glencolmcille. A unique and beautiful place, Glencolmcille, was chosen as a base by St. Columba, one of Ireland's three patron saints, along with Patrick and Brigid. The name Glencolmcille, or "Gleann Cholm Cille" in the Irish language, means "The Glen of St. Columba's Church.". It is not surprising that Glencolmcille is rarely on a standard itinerary of the Irish countryside, you need to be determined to get there!. Though, due to the stark beauty of the landscape, historically it has been drawing visitors for over 1500 years.
Take an expert - led walk of the ‘Turas’, a traditional pilgrimage site. This gentle hike comprises of megalithic tombs, cross pillars and breathtaking scenery.

Dinner: Dinner in a local seafood restaurant.

Evening: Return to the hotel where you can have the opportunity to meet a local musician and dancer. Learn a few steps of traditional Irish dance and an Irish tune on the tin whistle (penny whistle). Take home your tin whistle as a souvenir of your time in county Donegal!.

Facility amenities: Enjoy modern cuisine in the comfortable and friendly setting of the Iveagh Restaurant. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves quality food and wine at excellent value. For a more casual setting, C Central bar offers excellent food, serving your favorite beer, burgers and ribs. With wireless broadband internet access available you can enjoy a quiet drink whilst surfing on the net.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Transfer by private motor coach from Killybegs to Dublin, via the Ulster American Folk Park.

Breakfast: Full Irish breakfast is served at the hotel

Morning: Depart Killybegs by private coach for Dublin, via County Tyrone and the Ulster American Folk Park.

Lunch: Lunch is taken en route to the Ulster American Folk Park.

Afternoon: Visit the Ulster American Folk Park. This museum tells the poignant story of emigration from Ulster to America in the 18th & 19th centuries. Continue transfer to Dublin. Dublin’s history dates back to the 8th century BC, and is now the Republic of Ireland’s vibrant capital. With its great universities, cathedrals, theatres and its literary legacy, Dublin has been the nucleus of Gaelic Irish and Anglo-Irish cultural tradition since medieval times.

Facility amenities: Enjoy modern cuisine in the comfortable and friendly setting of the Iveagh Restaurant. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves quality food and wine at excellent value. For a more casual setting, C Central bar offers excellent food, serving your favorite beer, burgers and ribs. With wireless broadband internet access available you can enjoy a quiet drink whilst surfing on the net.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Twelve: Monday, October 13 - Meet a Literary Scholar and take part in a walkin...

Meet a Literary Scholar and take part in a walking tour of Dublin visiting the places and experiencing the sights and sounds which influenced the literary greats.

Breakfast: Full Irish breakfast is served at the hotel

Morning: Together with a Literature Scholar we will set out on foot to experience the sights, sounds, streets and monuments that form the Dublin which appear in the writings of Joyce. Punctuated by readings, stories and bits of history we will walk in the footsteps of Irish literary giants.

Lunch: At Dublin’s famous Bewley’s Café on Grafton Street, with a lunchtime theatre performance. Bewley’s café is something of a national institution and has been called "the heart and hearth of Dublin" by poet Brendan Kennelly.

Afternoon: Free to explore Dublin independently

Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare from Dublin's many restaurants.

Facility amenities: Enjoy modern cuisine in the comfortable and friendly setting of the Iveagh Restaurant. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves quality food and wine at excellent value. For a more casual setting, C Central bar offers excellent food, serving your favorite beer, burgers and ribs. With wireless broadband internet access available you can enjoy a quiet drink whilst surfing on the net.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Thirteen: Tuesday, October 14 - Expertly guided visit of one of Dublin's 'hidden ...

Expertly guided visit of one of Dublin's 'hidden treasures': the Georgian House Museum at 'Number 29'. After our visit, we will walk past the Irish Parliament and visit the National Museum of Ireland for a private tour of the Bronze Age gold collection.

Breakfast: Full Irish breakfast is served at the hotel

Morning: Mrs Olivia Beatty, the widow of a prominent Dublin wine merchant set up home at 29 Lower Fitzwilliam Street in Dublin in 1794. This morning we will take a walk through Trinity College and pay a visit to 'Number 29' to experience what life was like for the fortunate who lived in such elegant townhouses, and the less fortunate who worked in them.

Lunch: Excluded

Afternoon: Continuing our walk we will pass the Irish Parliament and visit The National Museum of Ireland where we will have a private tour of the renowned collection of Bronze Age goldwork

Dinner: Your choice to sample the local fare at one of Dublin's many restaurants.

Facility amenities: Enjoy modern cuisine in the comfortable and friendly setting of the Iveagh Restaurant. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves quality food and wine at excellent value. For a more casual setting, C Central bar offers excellent food, serving your favorite beer, burgers and ribs. With wireless broadband internet access available you can enjoy a quiet drink whilst surfing on the net.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Fourteen: Wednesday, October 15 - Today is free for you to spend at your leisure in...

Today is free for you to spend at your leisure in Dublin. Browse the many bookstores, explore the museums, or even try some genealogy research at the National Library of Ireland. Take a day trip to The Hill of Tara, or Newgrange or gossip with the locals.

Breakfast: Full Irish breakfast is served at the hotel

Morning: Free time for you to enjoy as you wish; You could take a trip to the Hill of Tara and the megalithic tomb of Newgrange, or visit Glendalough in beautiful county Wicklow. Alternatively you could relax, and sample some of Dublin's cafe culture and vibrant cultural life.

Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare.

Afternoon: Free for you to spend as you wish: Browse the many bookstores, explore the museums, or even try some genealogy research at the National Library of Ireland.

Dinner: Farewell dinner in Dublin city centre

Evening: Enjoy your last evening in Ireland with an evening of traditional Irish music, song and relaxed banter at one of Dublin’s oldest pubs.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

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The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!